Full name: Shanetta Burris
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: www.shanetta4durham.com
1) In 300 words or less, please give our readers your elevator pitch: Why are you running? Why should voters entrust you with this position? What prior experience will make you an effective member of the Durham City Council?
I am running for Durham City Council because I believe our government should truly represent the people. As we face challenges at both the federal and state levels, we need local leaders who are strategic, empathetic, and capable of collaborating with council members who may hold different values. Together, we can identify policy solutions that prioritize the most vulnerable members of our community while also fulfilling our shared vision for future growth.
In my career, I have focused on helping to elect progressive leaders and have gained valuable experience as a community organizer. I’ve learned how local government works even without being an elected official. I can work with open-minded members of the City Council to create an environment for our residents that encourages open dialogue, thoughtful decision-making, and a clear understanding of the City Council’s responsibilities.
As a member of the Council, I can bring people together, having worked with individuals from various backgrounds. I am dedicated to forming well-rounded opinions and standing by democratic values, instead of relying on clichés. I have run a strong and honest campaign that focuses on the issues important to our community, rather than criticizing other candidates or spreading misinformation. I believe this approach shows that I am ready to serve on the City Council effectively.
2) What would your priorities be as a member of the city council? Please identify three of the most pressing issues Durham currently faces and how you believe the city should address them.
My campaign platform prioritizes access to safe and affordable housing for low- and middle-income residents, as well as improvements in city infrastructure and community safety. Members of the City Council should fully utilize every tool available when addressing annexation and rezoning requests to ensure the best outcomes for our community.
As a renter, I have personally faced barriers to accessing quality housing, from excessive fees to limited options based on income. I empathize with neighbors who endure substandard housing due to a lack of affordable choices. Our Council can and should do more to address these issues.
I am particularly concerned by the rhetoric used by some current Council members that prioritize landowners with access to resources over the needs of residents. To combat this, the Council should be proactive in utilizing vacant city-owned properties to create affordable housing. Additionally, we should partner with local jurisdictions, including the County and School Board, to develop a collective strategy for investing in and producing affordable housing. It is also crucial to expand the offerings of the Forever Home Durham program before it expires in 2026.
Regarding city infrastructure, as our city continues to grow, new residents must have access to vital services such as fire protection, EMS, and safe drinking water. The Council must also be mindful of its environmental impact during this period of growth to avoid causing irreversible harm.
Finally, concerning community safety, while I am enthusiastic about innovative programs like the HEART team, I remain deeply worried about the rise in juvenile crime, which has increased by 20 percent according to recent reports. With amendments to the “Raise the Age” law, juveniles who commit certain felonies now face the possibility of appearing in adult court, leading to long-term consequences for their lives.
We need to create more programs focused on preventing juvenile crime and providing positive pathways for our youth. We cannot wait for young people to commit crimes before intervening. Instead, we must prioritize increasing access to mentorship, after-school programming, and skill development and job opportunities for teenagers.
3) What’s the best or most important thing the Durham City Council has done in the past year? Additionally, name a decision you believe the city should have handled differently. Please explain your answers.
In this year’s budget, I was glad to see that the City Council raised the minimum wage for city employees from $19.58 to $21.90 per hour and ensured GoDurham buses will remain fare-free until June 2026. As our city continues to grow, it is vital to reduce our dependence on motor vehicles, and implementing fare-free bus service can serve as an excellent incentive. Moreover, this initiative demonstrates our commitment to proactively reducing pollution and protecting the environment.
At the City Council meeting on August 4th, 2025, I was disappointed that the many community members and advocates who gathered to speak on the Hayti Heritage Square Rezoning case were not permitted to speak. The condescending language used by the developer’s representative and certain council members was also deeply disappointing. Community advocates deserve respect, especially when they take the time to attend an hours-long council meeting to share their perspectives.
4) President Trump is working to ramp up deportations and curtail visas. At the same time, the state legislature has passed laws requiring cooperation with ICE. What do you think Durham officials can or should do to ensure safe, welcoming communities for immigrants in light of these policies?
Immigrants are a vital part of our community and deserve to live free from the fear of state-sanctioned violence. I will continue to advocate for policies that provide a social safety net for our immigrant neighbors. I am excited to see that the Durham City Council recently adopted a resolution declaring our city a Fourth Amendment Workplace.
Additionally, we must ensure that information and materials are available in multiple languages and educate the immigrant community about their legal rights. As our immigrant communities face harmful attacks from the current administration, our city needs to maintain and strengthen partnerships with organizations like CWS Durham, El Centro Hispano, and Siembra NC.
The city’s budget should reflect the priorities of our community. To ensure the well-being of our immigrant neighbors, we must adequately fund organizations dedicated to improving their quality of life.
5) Federal funding cuts this year have hit the Triangle particularly hard, from canceled grants to layoffs, and local government officials are having to make difficult decisions about what to fund and how. What are your ideas for how the city can prioritize competing funding needs, close funding gaps, and balance the financial burden on residents?
This is a complex issue, as our city primarily generates revenue through taxes. We do not have unlimited resources to fully address the harms being caused at the federal level. As I have mentioned before, our city’s budget is a moral document, and our funding priorities should reflect the values upheld by our residents.
Given this, it may be challenging for our city, with its limited resources, to completely offset the negative impacts of lost grants, layoffs, and similar issues. Therefore, we need to carefully examine our budget priorities to identify areas for increased efficiency and eliminate waste.
We should consider how to effectively reallocate funding to support organizations through grants that provide assistance in areas experiencing funding cuts. This process will require stronger community partnerships, active listening, and genuine engagement to ensure we are confident in our approach as a city.
6) As climate change leads to more intense rainfall, communities are at greater risk of inland flooding, such as the historic floods in parts of the Triangle caused by Tropical Storm Chantal in July. How would you like Durham to address climate resilience, particularly flooding?
To reduce climate pollution and help Durham adapt to the worsening impacts of climate change, especially for the most vulnerable in our community, I would prioritize efforts to:
- Direct resources to economically disadvantaged communities that have often suffered from environmental injustices.
- Address water management concerns to reduce flooding risks, especially in the area around the Eno River that experienced unprecedented flooding in July.
- Further investigate and support the use of renewable energy sources.
- Increase energy efficiency in city buildings and homes.
- Enhance public transit options to reduce carbon emissions, with a focus on exploring Bus Rapid Transit and other regional transit solutions.
- Preserve green spaces that act as natural environmental filters and provide areas for community recreation and enjoyment.
- Evaluate and make improvements to waste management and recycling.
7) Describe what sustainable growth and development mean to you. Additionally, what is another municipality you believe has made smart decisions related to growth and development that could be similarly implemented in Durham?
Sustainable growth and development must take into account the impacts on local infrastructure and the environment, particularly for decisions that require input from the city-county planning department and approval from the city council. The challenge of creating affordable housing is widespread among many municipalities in North Carolina.
According to 2024 data from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA), affordable housing developers continue to struggle with closing financial gaps on their projects. The median development cost per unit has remained steady at $250,000, which is more than 50% higher than in 2020. It is evident that our community will need to rely on capital from both the private and public sectors to achieve the level of affordable housing production required.
While our local municipal government has taken steps to make housing production more affordable for developers, this has not resulted in lower costs for renters and potential homebuyers. Many community members are still cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. Although I appreciate various models throughout the state, I believe we need to develop an affordable housing strategy for Durham that is unique to our community.
8) Downtown Durham continues to see growth, with large commercial developments and hundreds of new housing units, yet businesses say they’re still suffering. How would you reinvigorate this major business district?
Our downtown city infrastructure is still feeling the effects of COVID-19, particularly with the reduced demand for office space. This significant increase in office vacancies has had a negative impact on downtown businesses. Additionally, the operating costs for these businesses have risen, and the current foot traffic mainly consists of transient visitors (such as those attending Durham Bulls games and events at DPAC).
To reinvigorate the downtown Durham economy, we need to assess existing challenges and develop strategies to enhance accessibility for our residents, thereby increasing foot traffic and local participation. Although we have various events coming to town, we must ensure that our local business owners can benefit from the revenue generated during these occasions.
Our focus should be on creating long-term solutions that enhance the viability of local businesses. We need to prioritize building a strong economy and explore better ways to utilize our downtown spaces. Additionally, promoting economic mobility will help create pathways for our local workforce to take advantage of the ongoing growth in our city.
9) The City of Durham is realigning its homelessness services. What can or should the city be doing to support this growing population, especially in light of recent changes to state law governing encampments and financial pressures on service providers?
I believe that greater collaboration between the city and non-profit organizations is essential for creating a comprehensive ecosystem to support our unsheltered neighbors. Many factors contribute to individuals experiencing homelessness, so it is crucial for us to intentionally identify the root causes, connect people with existing programs, and explore ways to strengthen our support system. This approach will ensure that our unsheltered neighbors receive the necessary assistance without the risk of exploitation.
10) According to the Triangle Community Foundation, there’s a mismatch between the price point of housing units available in Durham and what Durham renters can afford, amounting to a nearly 25,000-unit deficit for low-income renters. What can the city do to ensure Durham housing is affordable for current and future residents
Durham’s rapid growth has intensified our housing crisis, displacing long-time residents and creating a gap between housing demand and affordability. I’m committed to sustainable, inclusive solutions that serve both new arrivals and long-standing community members. Programs like Forever Home, Durham have made significant strides by investing in housing for low- to moderate-income residents, but we must go further. That means setting higher annual targets and scaling up from small projects to meet the real scope of our city’s needs.
We can implement innovative strategies to achieve this goal. Revolving construction loans dedicated to equitable housing development would provide accessible financing and speed up production. We can also invest in converting older rental properties into affordable housing units, thereby maximizing what already exists. For residents who still face financial barriers, universal housing vouchers can provide vital support, ensuring they have access to safe and stable homes. Beyond building housing, we must protect communities and help residents, especially Black families who have been disproportionately impacted, build generational wealth. Gentrification often increases property taxes, putting elderly residents on fixed incomes at risk of financial hardship. By partnering with banks and credit unions to provide low-interest loans, we can help offset those rising costs. For younger residents and working families, we need a more comprehensive approach that includes job training, small business support, and wealth-building tools such as matched savings accounts.
Addressing Durham’s housing crisis demands bold action and collaboration. By working together with residents, public leaders, and private partners, we can protect what makes Durham home and ensure it remains a place where everyone can thrive.
11) For some residents, gun violence remains a persistent issue even though shootings and other violent crimes are currently down from last year. How would you rate the progress the city has made and what are your ideas for improving public safety?
I believe that the Durham City Council should provide the Durham Police Department with support to address the department’s staffing shortages. Data from June 2025 reveal a 27.2% vacancy rate for sworn positions and an 11.6% vacancy rate for non-sworn positions. This vacancy rate presents a risk for officers and residents of Durham. While the DPD is taking necessary steps to address the staffing shortage, the community at large should consider how its behaviors and attitudes toward law enforcement may hinder the department’s ability to hire, train, and retain quality candidates. Moreover, I believe that decisions regarding the support of our police department shouldn’t be made in a silo. The voices of residents who are critically impacted by gun violence and violent crime should be centered.
Additionally, I would work to ensure the efficacy of existing programs such as the HEART team. To complement the city’s offerings, I would work closely with community stakeholders to identify and address the root causes of crime, with a specific focus on our youth population.
While we work to improve community safety, we must also be vigilant to prevent over-policing and profiling based on race or ethnicity.
12) If there are other issues you want to discuss, please do so here.
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